California citrus, avocado crop insurance program OK’d

The U.S. Department of Agricultureâs Federal Crop Insurance Corp. has approved a pilot quarantine insurance program for citrus and avocado crops in California.

The program is designed to mitigate the effect of a quarantine on 2011 crops, according to a June 30 USDA news release. The quarantine would have to be due to pest infestation or disease and be imposed by the departmentâs Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service or the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

Portions of San Diego and Imperial counties are currently under quarantine due to discoveries of the Asian citrus psyllid, a pest that can carry the bacterial citrus greening disease, huanglongbing. The quarantine regions are within 50 miles of major citrus and avocado growing areas.

The coverage would be limited to actual production losses and mandated crop destruction, but would not cover losses due to missed marketing opportunities in cases where the crop had not been damaged.

Program materials are to be issued by early September, with training for participating crop insurance companies to follow, according to the release.

Growers who desire coverage must have the insurance policy in place by Nov. 20, the release said. A list of crop insurance agents is available at the Risk Management Agency.